Walter Burke Davis Jr.

He was the author of 47 books, chiefly military history and biography, but also wrote historical and natural history works for young readers. Davis is best known for his books on the Civil War, all of which remain in print after 40-50 years.

He served as a Juror for Biography for the Pulitzer Prizes in the 1980s. A number of his books were presented to the White House Library by the American Library Association. For many years his titles were among the Fifty Notable Books as listed annually by The New York Times.

His book "To Appomattox: Six April Days" won the Mayflower Cup in 1959 for the best non-fiction work by a North Carolinian. He is the only member of the North Carolina Hall of Fame in both literature and journalism. He was named Distinguished Alumnus of Guilford College and received an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Greensboro College.

Born in Durham, N.C., to W.B and Harriet Jackson Davis, he moved with his family to Greensboro in 1919 and was educated in the city's public schools and later attended Duke University and Guilford College. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1937 with a degree in journalism.

His 20-year career as a newspaper man was spent on the Charlotte News, the Baltimore Evening Sun and the Greensboro Daily News. Davis also served as special writer for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Davis was a co-founder of the Sarah P. Duke Gardens of Duke University and a board member of the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. Horticulture and care of ornamental and vegetable gardens were among his chief interests.

He is survived by the former Juliet Halliburton Burnett, his wife of 24 years, which time he referred to as "my halcyon days." Additional survivors are two children of a previous marriage, Angela Davis-Gardner of Raleigh, N.C., and Walter Burke Davis III and his wife, Kelly Cherry, of Halifax, Va.

He was predeceased by three sisters, Marjorie Hulton of Dallas, Texas, Virginia (Mrs. John C.) King of Greensboro, N.C., and Marian D. Plummer of Albuquerque, N.M.

Davis leaves four grandchildren, Sarah D. (Mrs. Jason) Long and Kathryn D. (Mrs. Matthew) Brigger, both of Clarksburg, Md., Leah D. Williams of Broad Run, Va., and Heath Gardner of Raleigh, N.C. There are two great-grandchildren.

Other survivors who have welcomed him into their lives are his stepson, Timothy B. Burnett and wife, Jane, of Greensboro, N.C., and their daughters, Allison (Mrs. Brenton L.) Smith and her husband of New York, N.Y., Catherine Burnett of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Elizabeth Burnett of New York, N.Y. Also especially close in his affection are the children of his stepdaughter, Miranda B. Miles: Brian Miles and his wife, Clara, of Niceville, Fla., and Hallie Miles Bouchard and her husband, Marcian, of Durham, N.C. There are also four great-grandchildren.

There will be a private service of burial at Forest Lawn Cemetery. At the request of the deceased there will be no memorial service.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Well Spring Benevolent Fund, 4100 Well Spring Drive, Greensboro, NC 27410, to the North Carolina Botanical Garden Building Fund, Campus Box 3375 Totten Center, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Forbis and Dick North Elm Street is serving the Davis family where online condolences may be sent to www.forbisanddick.com.